Facts about Bali
Today, their descendants are called Bali Aga or Bali Mula which means the “original Balinese”.
Evidence such as stone axes and adzes found in Simbiran, a village in northern Bali, has raised speculation that Bali has been inhabited since the Ice Age.
Most of the Balinese people are involved in agriculture, primarily rice cultivation.
Bali, part of the Lesser Sunda Islands, is 95 miles (153 kilometers) long and 69 miles (112 kilometers) wide, and lies about 1.99 miles (3.2 kilometers) east of Java.
When Airlanggha died, Bali went through a series of rulers from the middle of the eleventh century until the Europeans arrived.
After Kertanegara was murdered in 1292, Bali was liberated for about half a century.
After the death of his father around 1011 C.E., Airlanggha, the Balinese Prince, decided to move to East Java.
Bali is an Indonesian island positioned in a chain with Java to the west and Lombok to the east.
Denpasar, the capital of Bali; and a city in the north, Singaraja, are the largest towns.
Balinese and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages in Bali, and many Balinese people are bilingual or even trilingual.
Most of Bali’s population lives in tight village communities with big extended families.
Bali’s decline started when Batu Renggong’s grandson, Di Made Bekung, lost Blambangan, Lombok and Sumbawa.
The Balinese language is a rich and diverse language reflecting the population.
Bali has beautiful beaches and it is one of the best spots in the world for surfing and scuba diving.
The town of Ubud (north of Denpasar), with its art market, museums and galleries, is regarded as the cultural center of Bali.
The Dutch forces, supported by the Sasak people of Lombok, defeated the Balinese rulers in 1894 and by 1911 the entire island was under Dutch control.
The Balinese people are descendants of a prehistoric race who migrated through mainland Asia to the Indonesian archipelago, presumably first settling around 2500 B.C.E.
Bali is famous for its artisans who produce batik and ikat cloth and clothing, wooden carvings, stone carvings and silverware.
Other Indian gods like Ganesha (the elephant-headd god) also appear, but more commonly, one will see shrines to the many gods and spirits that are uniquely Balinese”.
In 1846, the Dutch administration sent troops into northern Bali where a series of colonial wars ensued.
Fruits, vegetables and other cash crops are also grown, although in smaller amounts, and a significant number of Balinese are also fishermen.
Magic and the power of spirits is very much a part of Balinese religion.
The Dutch did not show real interest in colonizing Bali until the 1800s, after they had taken control of large areas of Indonesia throughout the 1700s.
Gusti Agung Maruti, Di Made Bekung’s chief minister, overthrew him and reigned over Bali from 1650 to 1686, when he was killed by Di Made Bekung’s son, Dewa Agung Jambe.
During this time, Balinese who couldn’t adapt to the changes fled to remote mountainous areas.
Balinese dance is highly developed, (much more so than European Ballet) and considered by many to be one of the world's finest artistic traditions.
The 2002 Bali bombing occurred on October 12, 2002, in the tourist district of Kuta.
Many changes in Balinese society were brought about, including the introduction of the caste system.